Two school friends who were injured when they were struck by a pick-up van as they walked home from school in Cork on Monday died yesterday within hours of each other at Cork University Hospital.
Laura Wyse (14), of Fair Hill Drive, died yesterday morning and in the afternoon, her friend Jennifer McCarthy (14), from nearby Bride Valley View, also lost her fight for life at the hospital.
The two girls were knocked down as they were about to cross a junction at Fair Hill and Knockpogue Avenue shortly after leaving North Presentation Convent - where they were both Junior Certificate pupils - at about 4.15 p.m. on Monday.
The girls were joining some friends who had already crossed the road when they were struck by the van. Gardai have since interviewed the driver - a man in his 50s - about the accident.
Last night both girls' families were being comforted by relatives and friends as locals and school friends were trying to come terms with the double tragedy which has shocked the city.
One Fair Hill resident last night said: "Everyone here is devastated - it's terrible - you just don't expect two young girls to be killed walking home from school in broad daylight in a built-up area."
Gardai have already interviewed a number of witnesses but Supt P.J. Brennan, who is heading up the operation, has appealed to witnesses to the accident to contact the Garda at Mayfield on 021-501145.
"It's very tragic to see two young girls losing their lives as they walked home from school like this and on behalf of the Garda Siochana and my own behalf, I would like to extend my sympathies to both families on their loss," he said.